Patentable/Patents/US-11011226
US-11011226

Access signal adjustment circuits and methods for memory cells in a cross-point array

PublishedMay 18, 2021
Assigneenot available in USPTO data we have
Inventorsnot available in USPTO data we have
Technical Abstract

Systems, integrated circuits, and methods to utilize access signals to facilitate memory operations in scaled arrays of memory elements are described. In at least some embodiments, a non-volatile memory device can include a cross-point array having resistive memory elements and line driver. The line driver can be configured to access a resistive memory element in the cross-point array.

Patent Claims
20 claims

Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.

1

1. A memory device comprising: a memory array comprising a plurality of memory elements arranged in a plurality of slices; a word line driver coupled to the memory array; and an access signal generator coupled to the word line driver, the access signal generator comprising a controller to cause the word line driver to sequentially apply an access signal to the plurality of slices to access a corresponding slice, wherein a magnitude of the access signal is based at least in part on a position of the corresponding slice in the memory array.

2

2. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of slices represents a group of the plurality of memory elements formed by at least one bit line of the memory array.

3

3. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a first modified magnitude to a first slice of the plurality of slices during a first interval of time and to apply the access signal with a second modified magnitude to a second slice of the plurality of slices during a second interval of time.

4

4. The memory device of claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the access signal increases as the distance between the word line driver and the corresponding slice increases.

5

5. The memory device of claim 1 , further comprising: a second memory array coupled to the word line driver, the second memory array comprising a second plurality of memory elements arranged in a second plurality of slices.

6

6. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a same magnitude to a slice of the plurality of slices and a slice of the second plurality of slices during different intervals of time.

7

7. The memory device of claim 5 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a same magnitude to a slice of the plurality of slices and a slice of the second plurality of slices during a same interval of time.

8

8. The memory device of claim 7 , wherein the slice of the plurality of slices and the slice of the second plurality of slices are substantially equidistant from the word line driver.

9

9. An apparatus comprising: a substrate; a memory array formed above the substrate, the memory array comprising a plurality of memory elements arranged in a plurality of slices; and a word line driver formed on the substrate; and an access signal generator formed on the substrate, the access signal generator comprising a controller to cause the word line driver to sequentially apply an access signal to the plurality of slices to access a corresponding slice, wherein a magnitude of the access signal is based at least in part on a position of the corresponding slice in the memory array.

10

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein each of the plurality of slices represents a group of the plurality of memory elements formed by at least one bit line of the memory array.

11

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a first modified magnitude to a first slice of the plurality of slices during a first interval of time and to apply the access signal with a second modified magnitude to a second slice of the plurality of slices during a second interval of time.

12

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the magnitude of the access signal increases as the distance between the word line driver and the corresponding slice increases.

13

13. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising: a second memory array coupled to the word line driver, the second memory array comprising a second plurality of memory elements arranged in a second plurality of slices.

14

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a same magnitude to a slice of the plurality of slices and a slice of the second plurality of slices during different intervals of time.

15

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a same magnitude to a slice of the plurality of slices and a slice of the second plurality of slices during a same interval of time.

16

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the slice of the plurality of slices and the slice of the second plurality of slices are substantially equidistant from the word line driver.

17

17. An integrated circuit comprising: a logic layer formed on a substrate, the logic layer comprising an access signal generator; a word line driver formed on the substrate; and a memory comprising one or more layers formed above the substrate, the memory comprising an array comprising a plurality of memory elements arranged in a plurality of slices, wherein the access signal generator comprising a controller to cause the word line driver to sequentially apply an access signal to the plurality of slices to access a corresponding slice, wherein a magnitude of the access signal is based at least in part on a position of the corresponding slice in the memory array.

18

18. The integrated circuit of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of slices represents a group of the plurality of memory elements formed by at least one bit line of the memory array.

19

19. The integrated circuit of claim 17 , wherein the controller is to cause the word line driver to apply the access signal with a first modified magnitude to a first slice of the plurality of slices during a first interval of time and to apply the access signal with a second modified magnitude to a second slice of the plurality of slices during a second interval of time.

20

20. The integrated circuit of claim 17 , wherein the magnitude of the access signal increases as the distance between the word line driver and the corresponding slice increases.

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Patent Metadata

Filing Date

April 2, 2020

Publication Date

May 18, 2021

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Cite as: Patentable. “Access signal adjustment circuits and methods for memory cells in a cross-point array” (US-11011226). https://patentable.app/patents/US-11011226

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